2021 Off-The-Road (OTR) Tire Conference

Join us Feb. 17-20, 2021

Tucson, Ariz.

Estate Tax

ESTATE TAX - TIA POSITION PAPER

TIA is a member of the Family Business Estate Tax Coalition (FBETC). This Coalition is dedicated to the full and permanent repeal of the estate tax. In working with Rep. Kevin Brady and the Coalition we were
able to pass the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015 (HR 1105) on a 240-179 vote.

We have supported efforts to fully repeal the Estate Tax in the 115th Congress by supporting the Death Tax Repeal Act (HR 63 and S 205).

At the end of 2017, Congress passed a tax reform package that doubles the estate tax exemption from now through the end of 2025. In 2026, the exemptions would revert back to their current levels ($5.6 million individual and $11.2 per couple), indexed for inflation. The new tax affects estates of at least $11.2 million, or $22.4 million for couples.

TIA wanted full and permanent repeal of the estate tax which is what was in the House version of the bill.
We are thrilled the exemption was raised as this will help more TIA members, but we have several other members who will still be negatively impacted by the estate tax and will find themselves over the exemption because of the value of their business.

TIA will support any efforts made in Congress to fully repeal the tax for the following reasons: Repealing the death tax would spur job creation and grow the economy.

Many studies have quantified the job losses caused by the death tax. Last year the Tax Foundation and Heritage Foundation both found that the US could create over 100,000 jobs by repealing the death tax. A 2012 study by the House Joint Economic Committee found that the death tax has destroyed over $1.1 trillion of capital in the US economy — loss of small business capital means fewer jobs and lower wages. Lawrence Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton; Alicia Munell, member of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisors; Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate for economics; and Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former CBO Director have all published work on the death tax’s stifling effect on job growth and the economy as a whole.
The death tax contributes a very small portion of federal revenues.

The death tax currently accounts for less than half of one percent of federal revenue. There is a good argument that not collecting the death tax would create more economic growth and lead to an increase in federal revenue from other taxes. A 2014 Tax Foundation analysis found repeal of the death tax would increase federal revenues by $3.3 billion per year using a more realistic, “dynamic” economic analysis.

A super-majority of likely voters support eliminating the death tax.

Poll after poll has indicated that a super-majority of likely voters support repealing the death tax. Typically, two thirds of likely voters support full and permanent repeal of the death tax. People instinctively feel that the death tax is not fair.

The death tax is unfair.

It makes no sense to require grieving families to pay a confiscatory tax on their loved one’s nest egg. Often this tax is paid by selling family assets like farms and businesses. Other times, employees of the family business must be laid off and payrolls slashed.

For many family-owned businesses to keep operation after the death of the owner, they must plan for the estate tax. Planning costs associated with the estate tax are a drain on business resources, taking money away from the day to day operations and business investment. These additional costs make it more difficult for the business owner to expand and create new jobs. Protecting family business from the estate tax is important in order to keep these businesses operating for future generations.

JOIN TIA

To become a member of TIA, the Tire Industry Association, please choose one of the options below: